HEVC Playback Now Broken on Chromebook

Plex Players Mobile Devices
1

I’m a lifetime Plex Pass subscriber and long-time user. Until recently, the Android app on my Chromebook played my HEVC (H.265) videos without any issues. After the latest update, playback is now blocked unless transcoding is used, which my server can’t handle efficiently. This completely breaks my usage.

What’s frustrating is that I paid for lifetime access based on features that are now arbitrarily restricted. I did not expect Plex to remove core playback functionality from a working setup and place it behind an additional technical or hardware requirement.

If Plex no longer supports HEVC playback on Chromebooks directly through the app, this needs to be communicated clearly and honestly to your paying users—especially those who trusted the “lifetime” model.

I’d appreciate a response on whether this is a bug, a deliberate change, or if there’s any planned solution.

3 Likes
2

Plex pass (as far as I recall) has never been needed for direct playback of hevc files.

It is very likely this. Posting app logs would probably be a good start.

1 Like
3

“Plex pass (as far as I recall) has never been needed for direct playback of hevc files.”
You’re right — technically, Plex Pass has never been required for direct playback of HEVC files.
However, the recent policy and app changes have effectively forced many users into getting a Plex Pass to retain previously working features.

In my case, the app used to play HEVC locally on my Chromebook without issue. Now, direct playback fails, and the app tries to transcode — which is not viable on my server. There’s no warning, no fallback, just broken functionality.

So while it may not be a Plex Pass requirement on paper, the shift in app behavior functionally degraded the free experience, pushing users toward the paid model just to keep things working as before.

“It is very likely this. Posting app logs would probably be a good start.”
Thanks, that’s helpful. I’ll grab the logs and post them as soon as I can.
If it is a bug, I really hope it gets prioritized — because from a user’s perspective, it just looks like a quiet downgrade.

4

Only in respect of remote streaming. There’s been no suggestion that the new app will (or is intended to} limit what formats can be direct played. Even if there were then as you have a Plex pass it would seem very unlikely that it would affect you. The issue is 99.99999% a bug

5

Understood — but if it’s a bug, it’s affecting multiple users across devices, especially Chromebooks, and consistently with HEVC playback. The pattern is too widespread to dismiss casually.

Also, while the Plex Pass should exempt me from such limitations, the fact remains: something that worked flawlessly before no longer does, after an app update. Whether it’s an intentional change or a bug, the result is the same for the end user — a degraded experience.

Happy to provide logs, but I hope the team treats this seriously and clarifies what’s actually going on.

1 Like
6

If it played it back before without transcoding and cannot now it is likely as mentioned above a bug. I am not aware of any technical reason it wouId not be, and I was not told of any intention to drop support for chromebooks that can run android apps.

It is likely not detecting device capabilities correctly. I will need logs to add to a report and specifics on your model chromebook

7

Can you provide the logs from the app after trying to playback some HEVC that isn’t working and we can take a look.

1 Like
8

I am having a similar issue. When trying to play a HEVC video file through Plex (480p Main 10) it tries to convert it, but I have the transcoding switched off on the Plex server as it overloads my NAS. When playing the same file directly on my phone (using VLC player) it works fine (both video & audio). I am also a Plex Pass Lifetime user. My mobile phone is a Samsung Jump 2. I don’t often use my phone to play videos, but when I do, they’re more likely to be using x265/HEVC as the compression ratio is far superior. Is there a setting I can change on the server to force it to recognise that my device is capable of playing it? The setting on my mobile Plex are all set to maximum (under video & audio), & direct play/direct stream are set to ON. under advanced, the only setting is reset cache. There doesn’t appear to be a setting anymore for external player either.
Please help.
Thanks.

1 Like
9

As mentioned above please provide logs.

10

my bad, after a clean reinstall of my chromebook, it works fine. thank you for your answers.

1 Like
11

1380158513081.zip (18.7 KB)

12

537249151648102.zip (91.6 KB)

13

I also am unable to play x265 / HEVC on Chromecast since the latest app updates. Following.

14

I can confirm I have the same issue with hevc / x265. ChromeOS fully up to date and latest public Plex app version.

1 Like
15

Same issue. I noticed when getting our Samsung Chromebook ready for a long flight.

Log Snippet:

05/28/2025 22:20:07:447 INFO [Environments] Updating plexEnvironment from storage to match the runtime environment
05/28/2025 22:20:07:469 DEBUG [QueryClientProvider] network state changed to ONLINE
05/28/2025 22:20:07:786 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [Vizbee] Initializing Vizbee HomeSSO SDK
05/28/2025 22:20:07:857 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [Connections] Testing all 3 connection(s) for Server-Plex
05/28/2025 22:20:07:882 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [Connections] Testing connection for Server-Plex at [obfuscated]
05/28/2025 22:20:07:901 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [Connections] Testing connection for Server-Plex [obfuscated]
05/28/2025 22:20:08:081 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [Download Metadata] Initializing
05/28/2025 22:20:08:082 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [Downloads] Updating background user info
05/28/2025 22:20:08:082 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [Downloads] Initializing queue
05/28/2025 22:20:08:102 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [MigrateDownload] Starting migration for user: b33f27b37671c7f
05/28/2025 22:20:08:107 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG IAP: Successfully initialized payment subscriptions
05/28/2025 22:20:08:263 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [MigrateDownload] Migration completed for user: b33f27b37671c7f6
05/28/2025 22:20:08:263 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [MigrateDownload] Starting migration for user: 1de522abcfdf7d16
05/28/2025 22:20:08:276 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [Connections] Current best connection to Server-Plex is [obfuscated]
05/28/2025 22:20:08:291 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [LiveTVOTASources] Initializing Live TV OTA sources. 1 servers.
05/28/2025 22:20:08:332 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [MigrateDownload] Migration completed for user: 1de522abcfdf7d16
05/28/2025 22:20:08:332 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [NanoDownloads] Checking if downloads need to be migrated
05/28/2025 22:20:08:505 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [NanoDownloads] No external storage found
05/28/2025 22:20:28:005 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG Skipping token check, last run: 20 seconds ago
05/28/2025 22:21:08:040 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [CastScreen] Start Casting - Cast Data found
05/28/2025 22:21:08:040 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [Vizbee] Casting content /library/metadata/10461
05/28/2025 22:21:08:053 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [Vizbee] Playing Locally - Not connected to TV
05/28/2025 22:21:08:081 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [CastScreen] Fallback - Original path found
05/28/2025 22:21:08:171 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [PlaybackSession] Updating session for new item.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:233 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO Loading native video player.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:234 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO Selecting subtitle stream: undefined
05/28/2025 22:21:08:234 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] ERROR [NativeVideo] Video size changed, but view size unknown.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:236 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] DEBUG [MediaDecisionEngine] Running initial load
05/28/2025 22:21:08:236 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MediaDecisionEngine] Refreshing decision. Reason: Initial load startOffsetMs: 0
05/28/2025 22:21:08:264 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] ERROR [NativeVideo] Video size changed, but view size unknown.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:313 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] ERROR [NativeVideo] Video size changed, but view size unknown.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:435 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] ERROR [NativeVideo] Video size changed, but view size unknown.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:469 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] ERROR [NativeVideo] Unable to change dimensions, size invalid.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:470 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] ERROR [NativeVideo] Unable to change dimensions, size invalid.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:484 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MediaInspector] Selected video quality as original.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:484 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MediaInspector] Selected video quality as original, whilst session quality is undefined.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:484 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [PlaybackOptions] Updating session quality to original (max bitrate undefined).
05/28/2025 22:21:08:485 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MediaInspector] Selected video quality as original.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:485 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MediaInspector] Selected video quality as original, whilst session quality is original.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:493 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MDE][Video] h264 is supported by platform.
05/28/2025 22:21:08:504 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MDE][Video] h264 is supported by platform.
05/28/2025 22:21:09:032 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MDE][Audio] eac3 is unsupported by platform.
05/28/2025 22:21:09:336 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MDE][Audio] eac3 is unsupported by platform.
05/28/2025 22:21:09:337 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MDE] Application decision, directPlay: false, directStreamVideo: true, directStreamAudio: false
05/28/2025 22:21:09:337 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO Cannot direct play with protocol: http, codec: eac3. Reason: Audio stream configuration not supported
05/28/2025 22:21:09:338 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO Cannot direct stream with protocol: hls, codec: eac3. Reason: Audio stream configuration not supported
05/28/2025 22:21:09:338 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO videoStream: {
"id": 715278,
"streamType": 1,
"default": true,
"codec": "h264",
"index": 0,
"bitrate": 9209,
"anamorphic": false,
"bitDepth": 8,
"chromaLocation": "left",
"chromaSubsampling": "4:2:0",
"codedHeight": 1040,
"codedWidth": 1920,
"colorPrimaries": "bt709",
"colorRange": "tv",
"colorSpace": "bt709",
"colorTrc": "bt709",
"frameRate": 23.976,
"hasScalingMatrix": false,
"height": 1040,
"level": 40,
"pixelAspectRatio": "481:480",
"profile": "high",
"refFrames": 4
"scanType": "progressive",
"width": 1920,
"displayTitle": "1080p (H.264)",
"extendedDisplayTitle": "1080p (H.264)"
}
05/28/2025 22:21:09:339 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO audioStream: {
"id": 715279,
"streamType": 2,
"selected": true,
"default": true,
"codec": "eac3",
"index": 1,
"channels": 6,
"bitrate": 640,
"language": "English",
"languageTag": "en",
"languageCode": "eng",
"audioChannelLayout": "5.1(side)",
"samplingRate": 48000,
"displayTitle": "English (EAC3 5.1)",
"extendedDisplayTitle": "English (EAC3 5.1)"
}
05/28/2025 22:21:09:340 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO subtitleStream: none
05/28/2025 22:21:09:642 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MDE][Audio] eac3 is unsupported by platform.
05/28/2025 22:21:09:689 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [MDE][Video] h264 is supported by platform.
05/28/2025 22:21:09:703 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] ERROR [MediaDecisionEngine] Error refreshing decision. {
"type": "[object Error]",
"stack": "Error: Unable to determine HEVC profile.\n at promiseMethodWrapper (address at index.android.bundle:1:328920)\n at ?anon_0_ (address at index.android.bundle:1:5115055)\n at next (native)\n at asyncGeneratorStep (address at index.android.bundle:1:817085)\n at _next (address at index.android.bundle:1:817343)\n at anonymous (address at index.android.bundle:1:817295)\n at tryCallTwo (address at index.android.bundle:1:441226)\n at doResolve (address at index.android.bundle:1:442551)\n at Promise (address at index.android.bundle:1:441322)\n at anonymous (address at index.android.bundle:1:817216)\n at apply (native)\n at getExtraAugmentations (address at index.android.bundle:1:5116051)\n at ?anon_0_ (address at index.android.bundle:1:5113908)\n at next (native)\n at asyncGeneratorStep (address at index.android.bundle:1:817085)\n at _next (address at index.android.bundle:1:817343)\n at tryCallOne (address at index.android.bundle:1:441184)\n at anonymous (...",
"name": "Error",
"message": "Unable to determine HEVC profile."
}
05/28/2025 22:21:09:781 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] ERROR [NativeVideo] Unable to change dimensions, size invalid.
05/28/2025 22:21:11:495 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO [PlaybackSession] Unloading session
05/28/2025 22:21:11:498 [uzzo3qsdscsiwoa4ng4ana44] INFO Unloading native video player.
16

For me it doesn’t matter if the content is HEVC or not, the app refuses to play it either way claiming it cant find the HEVC profile.

Google Chrome: Version 136.0.7103.150 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Platform: 16238.62.0 (Official Build) stable-channel geralt
Channel: stable-channel
Firmware Version: Google_Ciri.15842.66.0
ARC Enabled: true
ARC: 13454892
Enterprise Enrolled: false
Developer Mode: false
14000135101447.zip (12.6 KB)

1 Like
17

anyone got an update on this. Just bought a new Chromebook and can’t use Plex.

18

Same problem here. I rarely use my chromebook but it is great for downloaded movies on a plane because of battery life and small size. Very surprised to see the screen look awkwardly like a phone even when set to full screen and unable to play anything - with some error about not finding hevc profile on any video. What are people using instead of Plex now?

19

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